Heritage Acres celebrating its 30th anniversary

Heritage Acres Museum is celebrating its 30th annual show this August. In hopes to spread their farming knowledge through demonstrations, shows and entertainment, the annual show is back for three days of family fun Aug. 4-6.

Sandra Reed, committee chair of the Heritage Acres Annual Show, says this event is great for all generations whether it’s helping to rekindle old memories or helping people to make new ones, all while learning about the farming industry that’s so vital to Alberta’s sustainability. “It makes memories for some and revives memories for others. We’re basically from the early 1900s to 1960s with our equipment and focus,” says Reed. “We’ve been told that this is the only museum in Alberta that can actually demonstrate how to prepare ground for seeding, and stoop it and then take it over to threshing machine.”The Heritage Acres Museum is nestled on a 180-acre plot next to the Oldman River Dam off Highway 3 near Pincher Creek. The museum which was founded in 1988 is home to Alberta’s largest independent agriculture collection of pioneer and farm-related artifacts. With hopes to share this farming knowledge with members of the public, the Heritage Acres Farming museum hosts a three-day show each year. With returning demonstrations of farming equipment such as a grain elevator, sawmill and a stationary engine display and demonstration, the show is keeping with the tradition of displaying what the farming industry is made up of, however, with the 30th anniversary on the horizon, Reed says there’s much more in the works for this year’s show.“This year, we’re having live entertainment all day Saturday and all-day Sunday. This is the first year we’ve had entertainment as well. Sunday evening at 8 p.m., we’re also holding a special ... show.”There will be performances happening throughout the weekend which included Chris David, the Rocky Mountain Fiddlers, the Rink Ranch Gang and a special Saturday evening show performed by emcee Bob Westrop. The three-day event also boasts fun activities for the whole family to enjoy such as a tractor pull, open exhibits, children’s games, vendors, craft demonstrations, a quilt show, a barn dance, horse-drawn wagon rides, Cowboy Church and on-site camping.Debbie Reed, a second-time volunteer for the annual show and board member with Heritage Acres, says being a part of this event is important to keeping with the tradition of farming in families and helping people better understand farming procedures. “I grew up on a farm and so I decided to volunteer. Heritage Acres is run by a generation or two that’s older than me and I’m trying to get the younger generations involved because farming isn’t a ‘family-normal anymore and people just don’t know how things are done anymore.” Debbie adds this is a beneficial educational event.“Through volunteering, I’m trying to keep people educated. It’s a place people can go to experience it.”The annual show, which brings out up to 2,500 people each year, is also working on revealing a special project at this year’s event says Sandra Reed.“The last few years what we’ve been concentrating on is a dairy barn that we saved from our community, and it’s going to display dairy as it was. So, at the show, we are going to officially open the dairy barn that we’ve rescued.” With returning guests and new adventurers each year, the show is ready to have some fun whilst also celebrating the history of farming within the province. “We have a common goal at Heritage Acres and that’s to restore equipment so people now can learn what it used to be like. We’ve been doing it for 30 years, and the camaraderie is just excellent,” says Reed.For more information on the event schedule and tickets, people are encouraged to visit the website at: http://www.heritageacres.org.